How to set up your new Samsung Galaxy S3

Getting started on your brand-new Galaxy S3 won’t take too long. Soon you will be on the Android cutting edge!

The UPS person just dropped off my Samsung Galaxy SIII (S3) today and I was very excited to crack open the box and get started. It occurs to me that for many, this is your first smartphone. Others might be coming over from a previous (non Ice Cream Sandwich) device and other still might be coming to Android from the dark side … iOS or BlackBerry or Windows Phone.

Let’s jump in to get you up and running quickly!

First thing you need to do is to put your battery in your device – yes, the Galaxy S III has a removable battery – which is awesome. Next, hold down the power button to power on the device.

The Galaxy S III will power up and start the configuration process.

First, you will be asked to choose your language – easy enough, choose from the 6 provided.

If you have a SIM card installed, your Galaxy S III will walk you through the provisioning process.

Next, you will be asked to connect to a WiFi network.

Find the network to which you want to connect. Input the passcode, if applicable, and wait for the device to connect to your WiFi network.

Next, you can let your Galaxy S III automatically set the date and time by putting a check in the box at the top of the screen. If you want to set the date and time manually, just touch on each field and choose the correct option.

Add a Google Account

Now you are ready to either create a Google account or sign in to your current account and sync your information. Touch the Google account icon and you will be take to the Add a Google Account screen.

For existing Google users, simple touch Sign in and add your Email and password and then Sign In to your account.

On the next screen, you have the option to keep your phone backed up with your Google Account. Simply place a check in the box to allow this. Your phone will then try to “restore” whatever information you already have stored in your Google account.

Next – you need to make a choice about Google location services. To allow Google’s location service to collect data – check off the first box.

To use your location for Google searches and other Google services – check off the second box.

Confirm your name in the This phone belong to…screen and touch Next when done.

If you did not check off to use Location, you will be prompted with a Use my Location box. Either choose to Agree or Disagree.

Set up your Samsung account

Creating a Samsung account, similar to your HTC account if you are moving from an HTC phone, will give you access to information and promotions from Samsung – the maker of your Galaxy S III.

Pull down the notification tray from the top of the screen

You should see Set up Samsung Account at the bottom of the tray

If not, touch the Settings icon in the Notification tray

Scroll down to Accounts and tap

Choose Samsung account from those listed

From the Samsung account page:

Choose to Create account or Sign in to an existing account

Choose your country

Accept the terms and conditions

Read the Privacy policy

Choose agree

Input your email, password, date of birth and zip code and submit the form. Your next screen will allow you to either Go to Mailbox – to retrieve a verification email. If you choose this and have not yet set up an email account, you will be prompted to do so.

The additional benefits of activating your Samsung account are:

BadaAuthForAndroid

AllShare Play

Family Story

Find My Mobile (SamsungDive)

Music Hub

ChatOn

If you choose to verify the account from your computer, then you can simply choose the Activate account button.

From the Accounts page you can also quickly set up your Facebook, LinkedIn, Skype, Exchange account, additional non-Google email accounts and more. Once you input the information, your Contacts from your various accounts will be synced (if you want) with your main contacts on the phone.

In this screen you can see that I have set up my Galaxy S III to sync with two Google accounts, the Samsung account, a Facebook account and a LinkedIn account.

You can continue to set up your accounts from this screen or you can always set them up at a future date.

Learn about Shake

The Samsung Galaxy S III has lots of new gestures built in; many of which will be presented to you as you touch an icon or widget that uses the gesture. The first of these you are most likely to encounter is the Shake gesture.

You can use Shake to update news, weather or stock data over the network. To get started with Shake:

Touch the clock/weather widget on the home screen

Touch Enable motion to allow for the Shake gesture to be enabled on the device

Next time you touch the Weather widget, just shake your device to update

Setting up Google Play

Your apps, music, movies, books and magazines are all handled through the Google Play store. The first time you touch the Google Play icon, you will be prompted to accept the terms and conditions.

From the Menu button (lower left soft key next to Home button) you can choose:

My Apps – to see your installed apps and update as needed

Accounts – to choose which account you want associated with your Google Play apps

Settings – to control notifications, set up auto updates of apps, set up a PIN to prevent changes in user controls and more.

Those are the basics; you should now be receiving your email, you should have your contacts on the phone, you can get apps through Google Play and you can Shake to update your weather widget.

Keep it posted right here at Android Central to learn all you need about your amazing Galaxy S III phone. Don’t forget to go to our dedicated Galaxy S III page to learn even more.

Did you get your Galaxy S III today? Hop on over to the forums and let us know!